


Forever, Minute by Minute

by Zeiskyte



Series: Move Onward, Not There Yet [2]
Category: Persona 4
Genre: #PersonaRarepairWeek2020, Agoraphobia, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax - P3 Route, Shobrys winter date!!, flangst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:21:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27779047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zeiskyte/pseuds/Zeiskyte
Summary: Sho and Labrys spend their first date at a shopping center. Unfortunately, Sho doesn't do too well around crowds. Fortunately, Labrys is there to be his guiding star.Written for PersonaRarepairWeek2020 Day 6: Winter Date, art by @ruruuuundesu on Twitter!
Relationships: Labrys/Minazuki Sho
Series: Move Onward, Not There Yet [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2195907
Comments: 6
Kudos: 11





	Forever, Minute by Minute

**Author's Note:**

> I am once again writing Shobrys instead of working on my 234597 other projects. I don't regret it at all.
> 
> Fic by [me](https://twitter.com/Zeiskyte), art by [Maru](https://twitter.com/ruruuuundesu). Come talk to us on Twitter!

Labrys pointed at the gigantic building in front of them, her expression torn between excitement and awe. “This place is _huge_!” she gaped. “I sure hope we don’t get lost in there…”

Pushing down the awful feeling of anxiety pooling in his stomach, Sho forced a grin. “Don’t you have a GPS built into your brain or something?” He rolled his shoulders back and dug his hands into the pockets of his camouflage print jacket, tilting his head to look at his girlfriend. “... Do you even _have_ a brain?”

“Just a Plume,” she answered, unbothered by the harshness of his words. “But… a GPS would definitely be helpful, every now and then.”

“I was just kidding,” he huffed with a roll of his eyes. In the lull of their conversation, he knocked his elbow against the metal of her arm, causing her head to whip in his direction. “We goin’ or what?”

Part of Sho wished that she would say no. The shopping center was huge and every shop was probably crawling with people. He didn’t want to ruin their date, though - Labrys hadn’t shut up about bringing Sho here ever since Kirijo had told her about it. The other Shadow Operatives had gone shopping here in years past, but Labrys wanted her first experience at the mall to be with her boyfriend.

He swallowed past the lump in his throat, forcing himself to be brave. It was just a mall packed with more people than he had ever seen in his entire life and there was nothing to worry about because it wasn’t like he was going to get trapped in a sea of people and lose sight of Labrys and be surrounded by so many people and-

 _Sho_ , Minazuki’s voice cut in suddenly, ripping him from his spiraling thoughts. _Breathe._

Shaking his head, he attempted to clear his mind. He couldn’t ruin this for Labrys. She had looked so happy when she talked about coming here; there was no way he could allow his fear to get the best of him and force her to return back to the base prematurely.

Besides. This should be fun, right? Spending the day with his girlfriend, walking around with her at the shopping center, and seeing her smile at every little knick knack they happened upon. It was a first for both of them, considering their… sheltered childhoods, if one could call them that.

“Sho-kun?”

He blinked, focusing his gaze onto Labrys. She wore a look of mild concern and her fingers brushed against the sleeve of his coat, as if reaching forward to tap his arm. Once she had his attention, she said, “Ya zoned out for a minute there. You okay?”

Remembering Minazuki’s command, Sho took a breath and exhaled before answering her. “‘m fine,” he shrugged slightly and offered her a smile. “Are we gonna go in or are we gonna stand out here and freeze?”

“ _You’ll_ freeze,” Labrys said, but there was no harshness in her words. Her concern for her boyfriend softened her tone, but her fiery determination remained steady. “Plus, I answered ya when ya asked. You just zoned out on me.” She tilted her head slightly, adding a playful lilt to her voice. “Was Minazuki-kun sayin’ somethin’?”

Sho parted his lips and promptly shut his mouth. He didn’t need to admit to nearly having a panic attack about entering the mall. Opening his mouth, he said, “Just sayin’ hello.”

“Well hello to ya, too!” she chirped out with a smile, and her crimson eyes seemed to shine in the December sun. Sho focused on the butterflies in his stomach to take his mind off the talons of anxiety digging into his chest. “We betta head in, We’ve wasted enough time just standin’ out here.”

“Y-yeah,” Sho nodded, “let’s go.”

As they began to walk towards the stairs, Sho could feel Minazuki stirring in the back of his mind. It seemed that he wanted to say something but was uncertain of how to convey his message. Until he spoke up, Sho decided to focus on his surroundings.

The building looming ahead of them was larger than Sho had ever seen in his entire life. Of course, his experiences were limited to the lab, the hospital he woke up in, Ikutsuki’s house in the woods, shitty ol’ Inaba, and the TV World. Maybe that wasn’t an insurmountable feat but, nevertheless, it instilled a sense of awe in him. The glass overhang above the entrance added a sophisticated touch, and the grand staircase leading up to it gleamed with the blues and purples of artificial lights. Off to the side of the building, he could see the shape of a large ferris wheel peeking out from the concrete. With the sun beginning to set, the lights adorned to the wiry frame of the ferris wheel began to glow dimly, soft blue and white hues gleaming in the distance.

He couldn’t help but stare; he must have looked like a child walking into a toy store, eyes wide and mouth agape. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Labrys doing the same. Her experiences were nearly as limited as his, considering their upbringings. The light flush of her face, her partially-parted lips, and the reflection of the blue and purple artificial lights in her crimson eyes-

Sho turned his gaze back to the building as they climbed the stairs. Despite them dating for a few months now, he still felt like a stupid schoolboy, dumbstruck with a silly crush. He’d think of Labrys, picture her smile, hear her bubbly voice, and...

He ducked his head, his face feeling hot. Just _thinking_ about her made him feel weak. When he first developed feelings for her, he had done _everything_ in his power to crush them. Being distracted by the butterflies in his stomach during a fight could leave him incapacitated, off his game, and even lead to a fatal mistake. Minazuki held a similar sentiment at first, but he eventually came to realize the major lesson the Shadow Operatives and the Investigation Team instilled in him during the night of red fog.

Bonds weren’t chains. Developing connections with other people was _good_ , and they shouldn’t push others away. Besides, Labrys made Sho happy - how could they ignore that fact?

As they entered the shopping center, a cacophony of sound assaulted them. Instinctively, Sho’s shoulders hitched up and he winced. The mall stretched on for as far as the eye could see, and clusters of people littered the space. His breath hitched in his throat and it felt like he couldn’t breathe _why couldn’t he breathe_ -

“You okay?” Labrys asked, a small frown tugging at her lips. “We can head back if-”

“I said I was fine, _sheesh_.” He shook his head and forced his shoulders to relax. “You’ve been talkin’ about comin’ here for like - _ever_. So let’s get this _show_ on the road, alright?”

Labrys looked wholly unconvinced when she said, “Yeah. Okay.”

They walked through the main pathway, avoiding other groups of people. Sho constantly found himself brushing shoulders with Labrys in their bouts of dodging oncoming traffic, and he was glad he was bumping into her rather than random strangers. He _hoped_ she didn’t mind - it was easier to knock shoulders with her every now and then and have the reassurance that she was still by his side.

“A clothin’ store,” Labrys gasped, suddenly stopping in her tracks. Sho stopped at her side and examined the shop before them. It was a small boutique, and glass panes surrounded the store front. Inside, he could make out numerous clothing racks, mannequins, and _people_. “Mind if we go in?”

Sho, fighting back the anxiety growing in the pit of his stomach, forced a small nod. With more confidence than he felt, he said, “We’re already here, so why not?”

Labrys positively _beamed_ and nearly ran inside. For being an android, she sure had the heart of a normal human girl. Sho followed behind her at a slower pace but kept his eyes on her so they wouldn’t get separated.

As Labrys flitted from clothing racks to displays, she pulled shirts by their hangers and held them up to her chest, as if she were wearing them. By the time she had a growing pile of clothes folded over one arm, she turned towards Sho and used the other to hold up a shirt over her chest. “Do ya like this color on me?” she asked, blinking expectantly at her boyfriend.

The cyan blue blouse Labrys held over her torso definitely complimented her skin - _steel?_ \- color and contrasted with her eyes. It was darker than her hair and, overall, looked like it would adorn her frame perfectly.

“Looks good,” he said, averting his eyes to the other bundle of clothes Labrys had draped on her arm. “You buyin’ all of those?”

“Probably not, but…” Labrys furrowed her brow slightly, her expression bittersweet. “I neva really got to do stuff like this, y’know? Pickin’ out clothes and tryin’ ‘em on kinda makes me feel like a normal girl for once.”

Sho shut his eyes with a sigh. “Don’t get sentimental with me, Scrap.” Opening them again, he met her gaze. “Are you… uh…”

“I’m gonna go try ‘em on,” she finished for him. “D’you mind waiting outside of the changing room?”

“Of course not,” he answered hastily, doing his best to push away his fear of being left alone. “You go on ahead, I’ll - I’ll meetcha there.”

Again, Labrys didn’t seem completely convinced. After a beat of silence, she tentatively took a step back, turned around, and headed towards the dressing rooms. His eyes trailed after her until she turned a corner and disappeared from his sight, leaving him-

Alone. In a random clothing store, surrounded by a sea of people. The voices of other shoppers seemed to multiply in volume, and Sho was finding it difficult to breathe. His chest hurt. Why was his heart beating so fast? When did it get so hot in here? He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t breathe!

 _You’re okay_ , Minazuki’s voice cut through his panic. _You need to calm down. Slow your breathing down._

Sho squeezed his eyes shut and focused on the frantic thumping of his heart. He balled his hands into fists and stuttered a breath, nearly choking with the intake of oxygen.

Once Sho’s breathing was mostly evened out, Minazuki sighed. _I will not ruin your… date by taking over. However, your panic is difficult to ignore_.

He almost sounded forlorn - and perhaps he was. Sho had finally found happiness in joining the Shadow Operatives and developing his… _relationship_ with Labrys. While Minazuki was content with Sho’s current life and his happiness around Labrys, Sho’s wellbeing always came first. If Sho was unable to function at this overpopulated shopping center…

“I can’t ruin this for her,” Sho murmured, keeping his voice low. While he certainly didn’t care what any random stranger thought of him talking to himself, he’d rather not deal with any eyes on him. His bright red hair and scarred face were enough of a sign that seemed to scream _hey, look at me!_

 _I will not take over unless you ask me to, and you have made it clear what your stance is on that matter._ He paused, as if to contemplate his thoughts. With a hum, he said, _Perhaps you should meet her by the dressing rooms now_.

“Yeah,” Sho mumbled, forcing his legs to work. He stepped around clothing racks, displays, and mannequins, and he avoided other shoppers like the plague. The store felt like walking on the top of a volcano - aside from just the hellishly hot temperature, a single misstep could cause him to fall to his death. Keeping Minazuki’s words in mind, he took a deep breath and focused on locating the dressing rooms so he could find Labrys.

He had to be brave. He couldn’t let his dumb fears get the best of him - not when Labrys looked so excited entering the store. She had never had an opportunity to do something as human as shop for clothes; how could he ruin that experience for her?

And while Minazuki would never mind stepping in for Sho if he was feeling unsafe… _well_. It was selfish and childish and sentimental but. Sho wanted to spend time with Labrys. Shadow Operatives work kept them very busy, and time alone with her was hard to come by. Nothing against Minazuki, of course, but -

This was their first real date. He had confessed to her a few months ago and they had started dating shortly after. Work had been massively time-consuming for the both of them, and they were hardly dispatched on missions together. So. Labrys had suggested that they go to this shopping mall together; it would be a first for both of them, considering the confinement of their pasts.

Upon finding his desired location, Sho stopped in his tracks. He leaned against the wall of a nearby display that allowed him a clear view of the dressing rooms. Whenever Labrys was done, he could meet up with her and pretend that he hadn’t been on the verge of a panic attack a few minutes prior.

A large crowd of people flitted around him, and their voices seemed to ring louder than his own thoughts. The walls seemed to close in on him and - he ducked his head and retrieved his flip phone from his coat pocket, bringing it up to his ear.

“Don’t even start with me,” he grumbled to himself, to the phone, to _Minazuki_. “I’ll be fine, alright?”

 _A very clever way of masking your supposed insanity_ , he remarked with a slightly-amused tone. His voice shifted back to its typical calm and clinical nature. _Returning to my original concern, however… I will not disobey you. Should you ask me to step in, though - I will not hesitate._

“Very reassuring, thanks.” Sho flipped the phone closed, signalling the end of their conversation. While Minazuki’s offer came from a good place, Sho ultimately saw it as a last resort. Sho was going to be the one to spend today with his girlfriend, and there was no way in hell he was going to succumb to his irrational fears and ruin his first date with Labrys.

After a few more minutes, she stepped out of the room, leaving the door to swing closed behind her. She had split her collection of clothes between either arm, perhaps to separate what she was purchasing and what she was putting back. Regardless, she wore a smile on her face as she approached him.

“I hope I didn’t make ya wait too long,” she said apologetically, “I just gotta put some a’ these back.”

“Sure,” Sho replied, already feeling more at ease with her by his side. Cracking a smile, he asked, “Decided you didn’t wanna buy out the entire store?”

Labrys’ smile didn’t even falter when she said, “Mitsuru-san lent me enough money ta do that if I wanted to but-”

He swatted a hand dismissively. “I don’t need to hear about Miss Moneybags and her robot charity fund.” His eyes moved to the piles of clothes draped on her arms. “Which is the one you’re keeping?”

She lifted her right arm slightly - the smaller bundle of clothes. “This one - huh?”

Sho snatched the pile from her and spun on his heel, walking in the direction of the cash registers. “You better hurry up and put those away before I pay for these,” he teased, and he could hear her grumble something from behind him. It wasn’t like she was the only one with money. Ikutsuki had left him a shit ton of cash and Sho didn’t exactly have a lot of things to spend it on. The least he could do was buy his girlfriend things that she wanted.

“Fine,” Labrys huffed and, although Sho couldn’t see her face, she sounded like she was pouting. He glanced at her over his shoulder and saw her walking towards a clothing rack to return her clothes.

His feet stalled just outside of the purchase line. He would just wait for Labrys to meet him over here. Of course, he had been completely serious about paying for these clothes and waiting for her would allow her to shove her money at the cashier first but that meant _talking to people_ and -

_Will you allow me to do it?_

Sho averted his eyes and went to reach for his phone but ultimately decided against it. Very quietly, he murmured, “I can do it.”

For a fleeting moment, he felt like he was back in the lab. Surrounded by Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapons and armed with only a knife, drenched in his own blood - and Ikutsuki, staring down at him from the observation room expectantly. He must have said those exact words thousands of times before tightening his grip on his weapon and lunging forward.

 _Very well_ , Minazuki sighed, his presence shifting. His resigned tone made him sound almost… _upset_ , if Sho were to guess. He _did_ seem overly pushy about taking over to alleviate Sho’s fear of human interaction this entire time. And, _well_... it wasn’t like Labrys was here to see him purchase her clothes, either.

Sho immediately turned on his heel, walking towards an isolated part of the store. Pressing his back to the column of a display, he held Labrys’ bundle of clothes to his chest. In what _might_ have passed for a whisper, he said, “Buy the damn clothes and wake me up right after, alright?”

Perhaps Minazuki was surprised by Sho’s sudden flip because his response was slightly delayed. … _If that is what you desire._

Sho blinked, feeling slightly dizzy. He shut his eyes and -

The weight of a full shopping bag pulled at the crook of his elbow. To offset the light vertigo that came with returning to consciousness, he squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before opening them again. At least Minazuki had followed his instructions and put him back in control after purchasing the clothes.

Glancing around, he spotted the top of Labrys’ head from behind a display. Was she seriously still returning all of those clothes? He walked around the extended limbs of a mannequin, scowled when its plasticy fingers brushed against the exposed skin of his neck, and breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing her face.

“You didn’t hafta do that,” she chided with a pout. “Mitsuru-san gave me money.”

“Doesn’t matter,” he said dismissively with a tilt of his head. “You finally done putting away the entire store?”

“I didn’t grab _that_ much stuff. But yeah,” she snatched the bag from Sho before he could hold it out of her reach, “guess we’re good ta go now.”

They exited the store, and the chime of the bell on the door was immediately drowned out by the buzz of the mall. Labrys’ gaze swept over their surroundings, perhaps deciding which direction to head in and what shops to seek out. After a moment, she pointed to their right with a smile.

“Let’s head that way,” she said, tugging at the sleeve of Sho’s camouflage jacket. “It looks like there’s a buncha souvenir stores down there, and I need ta get stuff for the otha Shadow Ops.”

Pushing down his growing anxiety, he forced a nonchalant shrug. “Lead the way, Scrap.”

As Labrys kept her fingers steadily clutched onto his sleeve, he allowed himself to get dragged forward. His eyes trailed from her figure to the masses of people around them. Swallowing past the lump in his throat, he kept his eyes on Labrys’ back and did his best to block out the rest of the world.

In the back of his mind, Minazuki’s presence shifted, signalling he was probably about to lecture Sho for something he did or - maybe in this case - _didn’t_ do. So it was to no surprise that, after a moment of quiet contemplation, he said, _We should look into a permanent reprieve for your… condition. Should I take over during one of your episodes - well. That is merely a temporary solution._

While Minazuki was correct - as he tended to be, _damn him_ \- Sho had no intention of agreeing with him right now. Even more than that, he didn’t feel like talking to Minazuki right now with Labrys in earshot. He offered a small nod, acknowledging that he heard Minazuki’s two cents. Hopefully it would get the damn feather to shut up, especially with Labrys right there.

Labrys made a sudden turn, pulling Sho in a new direction. Looking up, he realized they were approaching a grand-looking water fountain. Ceramic statues grew from its base, giving it a regal look. The water shimmered with the artificial lights of the shopping center and, in this sea of people, this might as well have been an oasis.

“Look how pretty this is,” Labrys gasped in her awe, tugging Sho forward. Her face flushed a light pink when she said, “I kinda wanna get a picture with us in front a’ it.”

Averting his eyes from her blushing face, he took an evaluating look at the fountain behind them. “Are you waterproof?” he asked sheepishly.

She shook her head with a teasing smile. “I’m waterproof enough, now let’s _go_.”

They took a seat on the edge of the fountain, and Sho braced his hands on the ceramic foundation. Beneath his fingers, he could feel the thrum of the water pump pulsing, and the twinkling sound of the water helped to calm his fraying nerves.

Labrys leaned her weight onto his side, resting her head on his shoulder. Her hair brushed against the exposed skin of his neck and, for just a moment, he could pretend they were a normal teenage couple. Considering how their tragic pasts were what drew them together, he would always choose this path but… he could indulge in this silly sentimental fantasy for just this fleeting moment.

It was ironic, if anything. Sho had cast off friendship and bonds for a majority of his life; Ikutsuki had convinced him that all he needed was his swords and an opponent. Weapons didn’t need friends. Weapons certainly didn’t need friends and relationships and bonds and anything a normal human would desire.

But after that night of red fog where he had almost single handedly destroyed the entire world… he realized just how idiotic he had been. Minazuki had always been there supporting him - he had never truly been alone. How stupid had he been?

Arguably, Kirijo’s dogs and those Investigation brats were even _stupider_ , offering him redemption on a silver platter. Labrys, especially, had fought against hordes of Shadows and single handedly took down a god just to save him from his hubris. He had done nothing but hurt her and yet…

Here they were. Maybe Sho’s awful past had finally offered him something besides loneliness, sadness, and the all-encompassing flames of anger.

Reluctant to ruin this moment, he nudged Labrys with a slight shrug of his shoulder. “Hey, uh. You wanted to take a picture?” He was still embarrassingly new to _couple_ _things_ , but at least he was trying.

Labrys nuzzled her face into the fuzz of his jacket hood. “I don’t have a phone,” she said simply.

Sho’s eyes flicked to her in surprise. “ _Seriously_?” he blurted out, reaching into his pocket to grab his flip phone. “Don’t you have a camera function or something?”

“I was built as a weapon,” Labrys replied, “so it wasn’t really a priority, y’know?”

“It’s even in the name,” Sho said with a roll of his eyes, handing his phone to Labrys. Forgetting himself, he allowed a small smile to tug at his lips. “Guess you aren’t exactly what it says on the tin, huh?”

“The researchers found _that_ out pretty quickly.” She giggled as she flipped open the red device and pressed a few buttons to find the camera function. “The phones that come out nowadays are a lot more advanced than this.”

“I didn't even want one at _all_. Kirijo forced me to get one when I joined the Shadow Ops,” he grumbled. “Said I was too much of a loose cannon and wanted to have a way to contact me in case I decided to up and leave.”

“Well,” Labrys hummed, stretching her arm out in front of her. Holding the phone facing away from her, the camera stared back at them. “Even an older model like this can get a picture.”

They smiled for the photo - _photos_ , actually. Labrys clicked a few more times than necessary, leading to a lot of duplicates. As she flicked through the photos, Sho couldn’t keep his eyes off the sight of them - _together_. He had known on a surface level that they were a thing, of course. They had been dating for a few months now and they were currently on a date but… seeing a picture of them together - Labrys’ head resting on his shoulder like they were boyfriend and girlfriend and he _hadn’t_ tried to kill her two years ago -

It felt _surreal_. For the awful things they suffered through and the atrocities he had committed, they had ended up together. Sho might as well flip off destiny and laugh in its face.

After they finished scrolling through, Labrys stood up and fixed him with a determined stare. “Let’s head back now, alright?”

Sho blinked up at her. “What?” he blurted out, surprised by her sudden change in attitude. “We went to a single store, didn’t you-”

“Sho-kun,” she interrupted, and her tone brooked no argument. “You’ve been on edge the entire time we’ve been here. I know ya haven’t felt safe this whole time - I can’t force ya to stay here any longer.”

Of course, stubborn as he was, he decided to fight the uphill battle. “I’m fine. Really.” He stood up and forced a smile. “You wanted to get some knick knacks for your friends, didn’t you? Let’s go do that. You have a _knack_ for-”

“You’re doin’ it again,” she frowned, reaching forward to grab the sleeve of his coat. “Just like on the top of that tower. Ya looked like you were about to cry but you kept laughin’ and making jokes…”

Sho shook his head, fighting down the awful feeling of fear and anxiety pooling in his stomach. They were going to start arguing and Sho would say something he didn’t mean and then Labrys would leave him here and everyone would stop and stare and whisper to each other that he just got dumped and how much of a loser he was and then he would be here all alone and they would all _know_ and he might as well just-

Labrys pulled him into a hug, and his thoughts grinded to a halt. His arms fell to his sides in his shock and he looked down at the crown of Labrys’ head, unable to form words.

“Ya don’t hafta force yourself for me,” she said after a moment, her voice muffled against the fabric of his coat. “I’m glad just spendin’ time with ya. It don’t hafta be here.”

In his stupor, he moved his arms to wrap them around Labrys, pulling her closer to his chest. Knowing that she was _here_ , in his arms - it alleviated the all-encompassing fear that had filled him a moment ago. Leaning his head forward, he pressed his chin onto the top of her head and took a deep breath.

“You looked so happy, talking about coming here,” he murmured, closing his eyes. “I couldn’t ruin that for you.”

“I wouldn’t have been mad if ya said ya weren’t comfortable comin’ here.” She tightened her hold on him and the plastic of her shopping bag crinkled as she shifted. “I’m sorry for puttin’ ya in a situation like this.”

“‘s not your fault,” Sho mumbled, opening his eyes and picking his head up. “I should be the one apologizing for ruining our first date.”

“Oh no,” Labrys interrupted, pulling back from him. Despite the height difference between them, she looked up at him and the fiery determination in her eyes remained steadfast. “You ain’t gonna be the one apologizin’ here.”

Sho’s natural desire to compete and _win_ seemed to overtake him in that moment. “You shouldn’t be apologizing, either,” he said, dropping his arms from the small of her back. “Now let’s go get your knick knacks before-”

“Nope,” she cut him off, tugging at his sleeve and moving towards the direction they came in originally. “We’re goin’ back home. I got some clothes and pictures with ya, that’s good enough for me.”

He floundered, allowing himself to be dragged forward. “But-”

“I don’t need anythin’ else,” she said simply, her back to him, “when I already have you.”

Sho let Labrys continue to pull him forward, his legs working on autopilot as his brain continuously attempted and failed to process her statement. She didn’t need anything else… when she already had him? That was - _she was_ -

 _She loves you_ , Minazuki translated for him, breaking his self-imposed silence.

Sho kept his eyes on the girl in front of him, unable to form words. With her pulling him forward and leading him out of this mall, she might as well be his personal savior. She had saved him at the top of that nightmarish tower, and she continued to save him in the years after that. It was an understatement to say they went to hell and back together.

When they finally reached the exit, Sho reached forward and slipped his hand into Labrys’, causing her to whip around. The blush on her face and her slightly parted lips drew a smile from him before he could help it.

“Thanks,” he said simply, tightening his fingers around hers. His face felt hot when he mumbled, “I don’t think I could have done that without you.”

She extended the bottom stub of her leg, giving her some extra leverage. With a quick lean forward, she pressed a chaste kiss to the tip of his nose, giggling at how fast his face burned a scarlet red in response.

“You look like a tomato,” she laughed, lowering herself down to her usual height. “But yeah - you’re welcome, Sho-kun.”

He averted his eyes, unable to look at her without feeling a rising heat up his neck and on his face. If he had to see her smile again, his face might end up as red as his hair. “Let’s go home,” he said finally, opening the door for her.

They stepped outside, and Sho stopped in his tracks. The obsidian staircase was completely lit up with artificial lights; despite the pitch black sky, the blues and purples stretching out in front of them seemed to light up the night. The ferris wheel to the side of the shopping center glowed a soft magenta, basking the entire area in a soft light.

“Ain’t it beautiful?” Labrys asked, fingers still intertwined with his. She looked up at him, a soft smile on her face.

Standing here, surrounded in more light than Sho had ever seen in his life, he was convinced Labrys was the most beautiful thing here. The blues and purples around her gave her an ethereal glow, and - well. If Sho were a religious person, he might have believed she was an angel, sent down to Earth to personally guide him and show him the light.

Her hand had always been outstretched to him, offering him salvation. In even the darkest of days, she was his light. Her companionship was an earthly comfort, but... right now, basking in the light of a thousand suns, how could she be anything but divine?

“Yeah,” he murmured, tightening his fingers in hers, “but you’re prettier.”

She offered him a smile and, for a fleeting moment, looked as if she was about to cry. “We’ve really come a far way, haven’t we?”

Labrys had fought every second of her life - against her programming, against the researchers, against _herself_. Sho had crawled his way out of a life of solitude and sadness and anger - and he had learned to _love_.

He gave a small nod, half-lidding his eyes. “We sure have, but…” he smiled wryly. “Let’s not get sappy here.”

“Y-yeah,” she nodded as well, giving his hand a slight tug. “Let’s go home.”

They made their way down the steps in relative silence. For once, the world around them seemed quiet, despite a few people leaving the mall as well. It was even easier to focus on his girlfriend and how her hand fit perfectly in his.

By the time they reached the end of the stairs and walked parallel to the side of the building on their way towards the Shadow Operatives’ base, Labrys suddenly stopped. She stepped back from him, leaving him to blink in surprise.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, arms dropping to his sides. “Was it something I said?”

Without warning, Labrys retrieved his phone from her shopping bag and snapped a picture. Sho grimaced before stomping towards her. “What was that for?” he grumbled, moving his neck to see the photo she had taken of him.

He looked wholly unprepared in the photo, scowling slightly at the camera. However, he realized why she had taken the picture in the first place: the ferris wheel behind him bathed him in a purple glow of his own, illuminating the crown of his hair and the edges of his coat.

“A memento of our first date,” she explained, flipping the phone closed and handing it back to him. “I wanna be able ta look back at it and remember, y’know?”

“Going by that logic, I should’ve taken a picture of you up on the stairs,” he grumbled, forgetting himself. Reaching for her hand again, he began to pull her back towards the shopping center. “I want a picture of you tonight, too.”

“It would only be fair,” she hummed, but she didn’t seem upset at all. “I guess this is payback, huh?”

“I’m cashing in my boyfriend privileges,” he said with a small smile as they began to climb the stairs again. “I hope you don’t mind, Scrap.”

“Of course not,” she smiled, stopping on a step. With the lights behind her, it was a perfect replica of the moment earlier.

He held his phone in front of him, perfectly capturing her in the frame. “Say cheese.”

“Cheese!” she grinned, and Sho nearly dropped his phone before snapping a picture. She was beautiful.

“Let me see it,” she said excitedly, nearly bouncing towards him. Though the photo quality wasn’t superb considering the older model of his phone, she still looked heavenly with the glowing lights behind her. “Now we have matchin’ pictures for each otha!”

“Yep,” Sho pocketed his phone with a nod. “Now let’s head back before you use up my entire storage.”

“Okay,” she chirped in response, beginning her climb down the stairs. “Let’s go.”

By the time they were down the stairs and passing the ferris wheel again, Labrys tugged at his sleeve. Sho turned his head towards her, a confused expression drawn over his face. “What’s up?” he asked.

“Your jacket,” she said suddenly, “is it warm on the inside?”

Sho, surprised by her sudden inquiry, stopped in his tracks. “Well, _yeah_. It has a fur lining.” He frowned slightly. “Why are you asking, anyway?”

Her crimson eyes seemed to glint pleadingly when she asked, “Can I try it on?”

“Where did this come from?” he asked, blinking in his stupor. Despite the wariness of his tone, he began to unzip his coat anyway. “Sure, I guess.”

Before he could pull his right sleeve off, Labrys moved closer to him, pulling the left side of the jacket over her. Sho felt his face flush, seeing her pressed up so close to him and completely swallowed by his jacket. She looked so cute like this - it was incredibly unfair.

“I had a lot of fun tonight,” Labrys said quietly, a light blush on her face. “I’m glad we spent it together.”

Sho averted his eyes, knowing his face was as red as his hair. “Y-yeah,” he said, “Me too.”

As they walked back, Sho’s jacket pulled over them and the lights of the mall illuminating their backs, Sho was certain he was in love with the girl at his side.

**Author's Note:**

> The shopping center they go to is based on DiverCity Tokyo Plaza. Sadly, I didn't include the Gundam statues outside of the mall.


End file.
